What Mercury in retrograde actually means and how long this one will last
Stefania Sarrubba
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock
From an astrological point of view, there are hardly two words that elicit a stronger reaction than Mercury retrograde.
The messenger planet enters a period of retrograde orbit three or four times a year. And the retrograde has become one of the most dreaded astronomical phenomena in popular culture thanks to the astrological meaning that has been attached to it.
According to astrologers, the planet's apparent retrograde motion can bring about all sorts of shenanigans connected to miscommunication. Mercury rules communication and, as it appears to go backwards, it only makes sense that interacting with others won't go as smoothly as it could.
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But what does Mercury retrograde actually mean? And how long will this one last? Let's have a look at the astronomical facts and the astrological predictions for the retrograde starting on tomorrow, March 15.
It's just not Mercury that can seem to be moving backwards.
A planet can be in retrograde from the perspective of the Earth when its motion appears to go backwards night after night compared to its usual direction. This lasts for a period of time when Earth overtakes a slower-moving planet while orbiting around the Sun.
Given that the retrograde isn't an actual change in the motion of the planet but an effect caused from observing this motion from the perspective of the Earth, the retrograde is technically known as 'apparent retrograde motion'.
The closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster it will orbit around it. Mercury, for example, only takes 88 days to orbit the Sun compared to Earth’s 365.
This means that three or four times a year, Mercury laps Earth. Venus, whose orbit around the Sun takes approximately 225 days, does so every 18 months. All planets appear this way from Earth at various points, as they orbit the Sun at different speeds.
But why do Mercury and all the other planets seem to be moving backwards?
This happens because the phenomenon is observed from Earth, a planet that's also completing its orbit around the Sun as well as rotating on its axis - in 365 days and 24 hours, respectively.
As all planets orbit around the Sun and rotates on their axes at different speeds, this causes the apparent trajectories of each of them to appear warped from the Earth's POV. Hence, Mercury appears to be retrograde even though its motion never changes direction.
If you're an astrology fan, you're probably already bracing yourself for this retrograde -- though there is no evidence that this astronomical phenomenon has an impact on our daily lives.
Starting on March 15 and lasting approximately three weeks, this Mercury retrograde will coincide with Venus retrograde, with both apparent motions occurring in the middle of eclipse season.
Mercury retrograde normally encourages people to slow down and dodge curveballs from the past in the form of run-ins with your ex and bouts of nostalgia.
Before Mercury retrograde ends on April 7, astrologers recommend being cautious and mindful, and perhaps postponing big decisions or launches to mid-April.
The Astrotwins (via Elle) state that both Mercury and Venus will move backwards through Aries and then Pisces this spring. While the transit through Aries, a sign who's believed to be fiery and feisty, may have you struggle with the concept of pause this retrograde, that in Pisces, a hazy, intuitive sign, will have you in an emotional state and struggling to think things through.